1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to fishing-line guiding mechanisms. More specifically, the present invention relates to spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanisms provided at the fore-ends of a pair of rotor arms for guiding fishing line onto the spool.
2. Background Information
Fishing-line guiding mechanisms are provided on spinning reels for guiding fishing line onto the spool. The fishing-line guiding mechanism is furnished with: a pair of bail-support members carried pivotally on the fore-ends of the pair of rotor arms; a stationary shaft whose one end is fixed to the fore end of one of the bail-support members; a stationary shaft cover fixed to the other end of the stationary shaft; a bail one end of which is attached to the stationary shaft cover; and a line roller. The one end of the bail is bent over and fixedly inserted into the lateral vertex portion of the stationary shaft cover. The line roller is carried rotatively on the stationary shaft in between the stationary shaft cover and the bail-support member.
When winding fishing line onto the spool in a spinning reel having this sort of fishing-line guiding mechanism, the bail is swung over into a line-retrieving posture, and the handle is cranked. The fishing line is thus piloted by the bail over the stationary shaft cover, and guided into contact with the circumferential surface of the line roller. Then, winding outer-circumferentially onto the spool, the fishing line changes direction guided on the line roller.
Sometimes with the foregoing conventional fishing-line guiding mechanisms, during a weakening in the tension on the fishing line, such as when a fish gets off the terminal tackle while retrieving the fishing line, so-called line-slack, in which the fishing line parts from the line roller, will occur. The line-slack often happens in lightweight lure fishing such as trout fishing that uses fine fishing lines. Occurrences of line-slack may lead to problems such as the fishing line parting rearward from the bobbin portion of the spool and further encroaching into and snarling in the spool interior, and/or the fishing line becoming tangled. Cranking the handle while the fishing line is in such situation will make the fishing line prone to tangling on the bail-support member or the spool. When the fishing line snarls on the bail-support member or the spool, the handle can no longer be rotated, and the fishing line snaps or else gets further entangled on some other part.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a spinning reel fishing line guiding mechanism which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
An object of the present invention is to prevent inconveniences with spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanisms that occur due to line slack.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism is provided, to let it pivot between a line-guiding posture and a line-releasing posture, on the fore-ends of first and second rotor arms of a rotor disposed frontward on the spinning-reel reel body; and is a mechanism that when in the line-guiding posture guides fishing line onto the spool, and comprises: first and second bail-support members, a line roller, a stationary shaft, a stationary shaft cover, a bail, and a line-slack preventing part. The first and second bail-support members are fitted pivotally on the fore-ends of the first and second rotor arms. The line roller is provided on the fore end of the first bail-support member, where it guides the fishing line onto the spool. The stationary shaft is a rod projecting from the fore end of the first bail-support member, where it rotatively carries the line roller. The outer diameter of the stationary shaft cover, which is provided on the fore end of the stationary shaft, is larger than the outer diameter of the liner roller. The bail interconnects the stationary shaft cover and the second bail-support member, wherein it guides the fishing line onto the line roller. The line-slack preventing part is situated on, and projects beyond the rest of, the side of the first bail-support member from which the stationary shaft projects, and has a fishing-line piloting surface that pilots the fishing line toward the line roller.
In such the mechanism, when the handle is cranked in the state in which the bail is locked into the line-retrieving posture in this fishing-line guiding mechanism, the fishing line, conducted by the bail, is guided over the stationary shaft cover and into contact with the circumferential surface of the line roller. In this situationxe2x80x94when tension is acting on the fishing linexe2x80x94the line roller guides the fishing line smoothly onto the spool, but if the fishing-line tension weakens, the fishing line will tend to part off the line roller. Nevertheless because a line-slack preventing part is arranged on, projecting beyond the rest of, the side of the first bail-support member from which the stationary shaft projects, and moreover because a fishing-line piloting surface that pilots the fishing line toward the line roller is provided on the line-slack preventing part, though line-slack wherein the fishing line parts off the line roller occurs, the moment that tension acts on the fishing line, it is guided back onto the line roller. Consequently, even if the fishing-line tension weakens and the line goes slack, it is unlikely to bring about inconvenience.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the first aspect, wherein the line-slack preventing part has a line-slack preventing portion situated opposing a fishing-line guiding section of the line roller. In this case, the fact that a line-slack preventing portion is arranged opposing a fishing-line guiding section of the line roller means that even if the fishing-line tension weakens, line-slack is not apt to occur.
According to third aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the second aspect, wherein the line-slack preventing part has an engaging recess situated opposing the line roller and enabling engagement with the fishing line. Because in this case the engaging recess facilitates preventing the fishing line from parting, in the line-roller axial direction, off the area opposing the line roller, line-slack is unlikely to occur.
According to fourth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the first to third aspects, wherein the first bail-support member has a round attaching portion that attaches pivotally to the first rotor arm, a round roller-support portion affixed to the stationary shaft and into which the line roller is fitted, and a connecting portion, molded at approximately uniform thickness, that connects the attaching portion and the roller support portion; and wherein the line-slack preventing part is a rib formed on the connecting portion and projecting in the direction the stationary shaft projects. In this case, the line-slack preventing part is formed integrally with the first bail-support member, which compared with instances where the configuration is by separate elements therefore holds down weight increase, keeps the rotational balance from wavering, and inexpensively controls line-slack.
According to fifth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the first to third aspects, wherein the line-slack preventing part is a pivoting member disposed on the side of the first bail-support member that is toward the spool, and is mounted on the first rotor arm, coaxially with the first bail-support member, where it pivots linked with the first bail-support member. In this case, the fact that the line-slack preventing part is a separate member from yet pivots together with the first bail-support member increases the degrees of freedom in conformational design beyond establishing it either integrally or integratively with the first bail-support member; and at the same time means that a structure for affixing to or interlocking with the first bail-support member is unnecessary.
According to sixth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the fifth aspect, wherein the pivoting member, when the first bail-support member pivots from the line-guiding posture to the line-releasing posture, pivots lagging the first bail-support member by a predetermined angle. In this case, because the line-slack preventing part pivots laggingly, when the fishing-line guiding mechanism is pivoted into the line-releasing posture, a phase difference with the line-slack preventing part is created such that that in the line-releasing posture fishing line parting off the line roller will not get in the way.
According to seventh aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the first to sixth aspects, wherein an outer peripheral portion of the first bail-support member is established on a sphere whose radius is a first distance at which a distance between the outer peripheral portion and a predetermined reference point becomes maximum and is formed into a curved-surface contour such that the distance between the outer peripheral portion and the reference point becomes heading outward gradually smaller than the first distance. In this case, by setting as a predetermined reference point an arbitrary position at which there is a possibility of a line snarl arising, a sphere is defined whose radius is the maximum distance of the interval from the reference point to the outer peripheral portion of the first bail-support member; and the outer peripheral portion of the first bail-support member is disposed on the sphere. The first bail-support member is then formed into a curved-surface contour such that the distance between the reference point and the outer peripheral portion becomes gradually smaller heading outwardly along where the fishing line is guidable. Herein, even if, for example, a line snarl arises at the predetermined reference point and the fishing line snags on the outer periphery of the first bail-support member, the line-retrieving operation shifts the snag position on the outer periphery of the first bail-support member outwardxe2x80x94where the reference point is centerxe2x80x94and it comes right off, simultaneously with which the line snarl at the reference point is disentangled. Accordingly, line snarls are readily unsnarled. Nevertheless, because a hard coating-film is formed onto its outer periphery, the first bail-support member is not liable to become scratched when the fishing line shifts while scraping on it.
According to eighth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the seventh aspect, wherein the reference point is the juncture between the stationary-shaft cover and the bail. In this case, by setting as the reference point the juncture between the stationary shaft cover and the bailxe2x80x94where line snarls are apt to occurxe2x80x94though line snarls might arise at the reference point, the line snarls readily untangle.
According to ninth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the first and second bail-support members are pivotally supported by the first and second rotor arms on their outer sides. In this case, the clearances between the spool and the two rotor arms may be made smaller.
According to tenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the first bail-support member has a hard coating-film on its outer periphery.
With this fishing-line guiding mechanism, casting is carried out by pivoting the fishing-line guiding mechanism into the line-releasing posture. In this situation, slack in the fishing line at times arises due to the impact of winds, and the line scrapes on the outer periphery of the first bail-support member. Herein, the fact that a hard coating-film is formed on the outer periphery of the first bail-support member lends the outer periphery a high degree of hardness to keep the outer periphery of the first bail-support member from becoming scratched though fishing line gone slack scrapes on it. Moreover, wherein a smooth surface is imparted by a hard metallic coating-film, fishing line slides easily on the first bail-support member, which keeps the fishing line from snarling on the first bail-support member. Here, the metal hard coating-film is formable by every type of thin-film formation method, such as: every sort of plating method, such as electrolytic plating methods and non-electrolytic plating methods; every sort of physical vapor deposition (PVD) method, such as vacuum vapor-deposition methods, sputtering methods, and ionic plating; as well as every sort of chemical vapor-deposition method, such as plasma CVD and organic metal CVD.
According to eleventh aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the tenth aspect, wherein the first bail-support member is made of synthetic resin; and the hard coating-film is formed by a metal-plating process. In this case, the metal-plating process facilitates forming the smooth hard coating-film.
According to twelfth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the tenth aspect, wherein the first bail-support member is made of synthetic resin; and the hard coating-film is formed by a process of hardening a paint film formed through a paint-coating process. In this case, the paint-film-hardening process enables low-cost formation of the hard coating-film.
According to thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the tenth to twelfth aspects, wherein the stationary-shaft cover is synthetic-resin manufactured, and the hard coating-film is formed on its surface. In this case, the fact that a hard coating-film is formed on the stationary cover too means that the stationary-shaft cover is not liable to become scratched while the fishing-line guiding mechanism is put into its line-guiding posture after casting and the fishing line passes from the bail over the stationary-shaft cover and is guided onto the line roller.
According to fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the tenth to twelfth aspects, wherein the stationary-shaft cover is made of metal and is formed unitarily with the stationary shaft. In this case, the number of parts is lessened and the cost is curtailed because the stationary-shaft cover and the stationary shaft are formed as one.
According to fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect, wherein the fore end of the stationary-shaft cover is generally a round cone shape, and a ridgeline portion in the vicinity of the round cone""s apex is joined smoothly with one end of the bail. In this case, a step-off in the joint section between the bail and the stationary shaft cover is not liable to occur, and therefore fishing line is not likely to snag in being guided from the bail to the stationary shaft cover, which makes the fishing line slide more satisfactorily.
According to sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the eleventh to thirteenth aspects, wherein the first bail-support member or the stationary-shaft cover is any one of: ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) resin, PC (polycarbonate) resin, polyester resin, polypropylene resin, and vinyl chloride resin, or is a synthetic resin manufacture in which these are mixed. In this case, forming the hard coating-film, by, e.g., an electroless plating method, onto the surface of these synthetic resins compared with others is easy.
According to seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the sixteenth aspect, wherein the first bail-support member or the stationary-shaft cover is a synthetic resin manufacture in which the ABS and the PC are mixed in a range of 40:60 to 60:40. These conditions sustain strength to ease the superficial formation of the hard coating-film.
According to eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in the eleventh or thirteenth aspects, wherein the hard coating-film is a palladium (Pd) plating layer formed by means of an electroless plating process. The hard coating-film in this case may be formed less expensively than chrome or like plating derived from an electrolytic plating method; meanwhile, the surface is made more even and smooth, which makes the fishing line slide easily.
According to ninteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning-reel fishing-line guiding mechanism as in any of the tenth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth aspects, wherein the first bail-support member is made of a light metal, and the hard coating-film is a ceramic whose chief component is a metal oxide substance. A hard coating-film in this case may be simply obtained even using a comparatively soft metal.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.